Betta Fish Can Live Longer With The Following 8 Ways – Maybe you already know that betta fish are pets that don’t have such a long life period.
One betta fish that lives in an aquarium can usually live for 3-5 years. However, the life span of a betta fish depends on how the owner takes care of it, if it is bad it can be less than three years.
With a fairly short betta fish life period, you probably don’t want to lose your favorite betta fish that you have cared for faster.
Fortunately, there are many things you can do to help your betta fish live longer.
By following all the ideas below, you will give your betta the best chance of surviving longer.
This may contradict what you may have heard. Even though they can survive in such a small container, that doesn’t mean your betta can live forever in a small container.
You should know that betta fish should not be kept in a 1-2 gallon tank or about 3.8-7.6 liters. They need a minimum of 5 gallons (18.92 liters) to live a happy and healthy life. Bigger is always better.
If you want your betta to live as long as possible, make sure you add it to an aquarium that is at least 5 gallons.
Anything smaller than that size, they can start to get stressed and bored. Not to mention the fact that conditions will fluctuate much wilder in smaller containers.
And female betta fish will need even more. If you’re going to be raising a betta group, you’ll need at least 20 gallons (76 liters).
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Make sure you have a heater
A heater is essential for almost every betta fish aquarium. Bettas have pretty strict requirements when it comes to the temperature in their aquarium. Ideally, you should keep the tank between 21-26 degrees Celsius. However, they can survive between 24-27 degrees Celsius.
If you find that the temperature in your betta’s aquarium gets too hot or too cold, your betta will experience a temperature shock that suppresses his immune system.
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Make sure you have a filter
Apart from keeping the aquarium warm, you also have to keep it filtered. The filter will help remove all ammonia and other toxins from the water. This will also help remove any floating debris around making the aquarium they live in look cleaner.
If you don’t have a filter, you will need to do more frequent water changes. When the water is dirty and doesn’t take long to change, this will stress your betta fish, which in turn can reduce its lifespan.
Apart from keeping the tank filtered, you must also make sure it is clean. A clean tank will reduce the chances of disease and bacteria growing.
Diseases such as fin rot and pineapple scale and swelling of the abdomen (dropsy) are much more common in dirty aquariums.
To keep the aquarium clean, make sure you vacuum the gravel and change the water every week. When you change the water, the amount that changes will depend on the tank. However, usually 10-15 percent a week is enough.
You should also check your ammonia level regularly to make sure it’s not too high.
Finally, if your betta hasn’t eaten its food after a few minutes, you should remove it from the tank. This is an easy way to keep your aquarium clean.
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Make sure they get enough exercise
Like all animals, your betta will need exercise. Although swimming in betta fish is like exercise, sometimes this is not enough.
There are several great ways to train your betta fish. One way is to add live food to the aquarium. All the pursuits he was about to undertake would work wonders for his health.
Second, you can also try showing him a mirror. If you let your betta look in the mirror, it will start throwing tantrums and acting aggressively.
This happens because your betta fish will think it’s another betta fish that disturbs its territory. However, make sure you don’t do this for too long.
A more passive approach is to change the flow rate on your betta filter. It shouldn’t be too strong because they hate strong currents. However, a small stream would give them something to fight against.
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Provide entertainment in the aquarium
Another way to keep your betta fish alive longer is to reduce the chances of boredom and depression. Both of these can result in a betta biting its own tail.
To do this, make sure there are plenty of things in the tank to keep your betta entertained. Laying plants and decorations is the easiest way to do this. You have to turn part of your tank into an underwater jungle.
However, one of the best ways to make sure your betta never gets bored or depressed is to add another ornamental fish to the tank, as long as it’s not a male betta.
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Make sure they get a balanced diet
Are you feeding your betta a high quality and balanced diet? If not, then it will affect its lifespan.
When feeding your betta, make sure you don’t feed it the same food every day. You should give him a mix of live food, and high quality betta pellets.
When you feed your betta fish, try to avoid foods that are high in plants and fats. Water fleas are a great choice for them.
However, bloodworms should only be given to them as a snack, which may contradict what you may have heard.
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Avoid uniting fellow male betta fish
This is one of the more obvious things. Make sure you never mix 2 male bettas in one tank.
Apart from not putting them together, you also need to make sure they can’t see each other in different aquariums. Just by seeing another male betta, it will make them become very aggressive and try to attack.
Source: kompas.com
